Giant Bomb News

WBIE Registers Domains For Arkham Asylum Follow-Up

Batman: Arkham Asylum 2: Arkham Harder not included.

Riddle me this: if a publisher shoots its game-reveal wad in front of a televised audience, does it dare change the name of the game revealed? Conventional marketing suggests that the answer is "no," but in the case of Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, the need of a name-flop seems downright dire -- and WB appears to get that.

A recent rash of WB URL registrations spotted by super sleuth super annuation suggests that the Batman follow-up is receiving the re-direction that it screams for considering that it's not even based in the place its name indicates. As you'll notice, most of these domains seem like decent subtitle material and, at worst, fodder meant to throw us off the trail. But there's arguably one prominent theme in all of this mess: a Gotham city in trouble. This idea, at least, jives with what little we saw during the game's Spike Video Games Award show reveal.

== TEASER ==The registrations:

http://whois.domaintools.com/arkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanarkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanashesofgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanbrokenground.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmannewarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmangranddelusion.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanriseofarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmansiegeofgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanstateofvillainy.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/cityofarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/closearkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/peopleforgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/stopmayorsharp.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/waringothamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/wheresbrucewayne.com

Ashes of Gotham strikes me as the forerunner. Even if it was a subtitle, it still gives the curious Wal-Mart fan the sense of the game's purported scale. State of Villainy wouldn't be too bad, either, I suppose, if the follow-up ends up being that a boss-monster heavy romp across a Gotham gone wild.

I should note that it's possible these aren't connected to the sequel, but the Quincy Sharp reference seems to indicate as much. Apparently, the warden of Arkham in Batman: Arkham Asylum was created specifically for use in the game(s). So, there you go.

Riddle me this: if a publisher shoots its game-reveal wad in front of a televised audience, does it dare change the name of the game revealed? Conventional marketing suggests that the answer is "no," but in the case of Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, the need of a name-flop seems downright dire -- and WB appears to get that.

A recent rash of WB URL registrations spotted by super sleuth super annuation suggests that the Batman follow-up is receiving the re-direction that it screams for considering that it's not even based in the place its name indicates. As you'll notice, most of these domains seem like decent subtitle material and, at worst, fodder meant to throw us off the trail. But there's arguably one prominent theme in all of this mess: a Gotham city in trouble. This idea, at least, jives with what little we saw during the game's Spike Video Games Award show reveal.

== TEASER ==The registrations:

http://whois.domaintools.com/arkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanarkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanashesofgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanbrokenground.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmannewarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmangranddelusion.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanriseofarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmansiegeofgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/batmanstateofvillainy.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/cityofarkham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/closearkhamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/peopleforgotham.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/stopmayorsharp.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/waringothamcity.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/wheresbrucewayne.com

Ashes of Gotham strikes me as the forerunner. Even if it was a subtitle, it still gives the curious Wal-Mart fan the sense of the game's purported scale. State of Villainy wouldn't be too bad, either, I suppose, if the follow-up ends up being that a boss-monster heavy romp across a Gotham gone wild.

I should note that it's possible these aren't connected to the sequel, but the Quincy Sharp reference seems to indicate as much. Apparently, the warden of Arkham in Batman: Arkham Asylum was created specifically for use in the game(s). So, there you go.

I don't think that all, if any of these are intended to become game names. for example wheres Bruce Wayne is more likely to become a campaign slogan than the actual name of the game, and also they seemed pretty set on Arkam Asylum 2 .

I was thinking of alternate subtitles for this game the other day. Because it sure does need one.The one that came to mind, though already in use, was Batman: Streets of Gotham. Similarly to the use of the Arkham name in the asylum, being in the streets would really go well with the Gotham name.

Stoked about this name change, as long as it's something. "Arkham Asylum 2" sounds like a rehash, or at least a sequel set in the same place, doing the same thing, with the same people (I hope it's not!) If each subsequent Batman game gets a great and beloved moniker attached, it would spare us the need for spelling them out numerically.

Although really, I wish Rocksteady would be put to work on other DC properties. I am aching for a Green Lantern game. Batman is clearly the one that sells the most, but come onnnnnn. Let the magic be worked on something else.

I don't think Arkham is a city, it's like having Alcatraz city. Unless they're implying Arkham spills out into Gotham turning Gotham into an "Arkham" City. I can even see the sign with the Goth crossed out in graffiti. Might be cool.

Ashes of Gotham would be the best out of those. Other than that I could see Rise of Arkham being a good title since it draws the connection to Arkham and also suggests a bigger scale, but it's just not as catchy.

Say Arkham Asylum and people recognise it as a high quality game, therefore i think they should keep Arkham in the title. Arkham City sounds ok until you think of football clubs, and now if it's called Arkham City i don't think i could buy it.

Was trying to think of a title but i find myself glancing at my dvd and game collection, ending up with ideas like Arkham Creed or Arkham Rising (which isn't bad but there's 3 'Rising' games on the way so... no).

" I think the two best names in the list are: Batman: Ashes of Gotham, and Batman: Siege of Gotham. I think if it's going to be in Gotham city then it needs to have Gotham in the name and not Arkham... "

Haha, Batman: Newark was the first thing I saw too. Hopefully Superman Lover will make a guest appearance. "You usually see me flyin through the air but the utility belt on my underwear need repair." "

does any of this really matter? to me it's just white noise for anyone other than the schleps over in marketing. anyone who enjoyed arkham asylum even in the slightest will pick up the follow-up, whether they decide on "batman: back alley bandit" or "batman bukkake." arguing that we need some cliche titling i think undermines the common sense of most people, especially most people who already know what they like.